"Just Carrying it For a Friend" Chapter 7
"You need to calm down, Sasuke." Sakura went to touch his shoulder, but he quickly moved away from her touch.
"Calm down?!" He growled out. "How can I calm down?!"
Sakura sighed and watched the Uchiha pace back and forth in front of her. Sasuke had shown up right as she was about to fall asleep, and he was shaking because of how angry he was. Sakura had never seen him in this state before.
"Have you talked to your dad? He knows a lot of lawyers, doesn't he?"
"I'm not bringing him into this. Not right now, at least."
"Okay..." Sakura tapped her chin as she racked her brain on how she could help her boyfriend. "Sasuke, you need to sit down and breathe. Start from the beginning of what happened."
Sasuke nodded and sat next to Sakura on her couch. She coaxed him to take a deep breath before telling her his story.
"She called me right before I got in bed." He began. "I almost didn't answer the number, and I kind of wish that I didn't now."
"It's been a while, Sasuke."
"Karin," Sasuke spoke, keeping his voice indifferent. "Why are you calling me so late? You should be putting your son to bed. It's a school night."
"Ah, yes. The other officer said that you were involved with that incident that happened before." She chuckled as if the incident were a funny afterthought. "As for Yasuo, he's a big boy. He can put himself to bed."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You really know nothing about kids, do you?"
"As if you could possibly know more."
"Maybe I do."
"Oh, Sasuke. You haven't changed at all." She gave a flirtatious laugh.
"Karin, did you have a reason to call me besides small talk? You know how much I can't stand to hear your voice."
Karin clicked her tongue in annoyance on the other side of the phone. "As a matter of fact, I called to ask about your grandfather. I heard that he wasn't in good health."
"Your point being?"
"I'm sure you know how old Yasuo is, and I know that you're smart enough to do the math," Karin stated, sounding like she was becoming bored with Sasuke's questions. "So I'm sure it wouldn't be a shock if I told you he was yours."
"Like I can believe anything that comes from your mouth," Sasuke growled. "If this is your way of getting rich quick, you can keep walking."
Karin started laughing at the anger in his voice. "Well, I'm prepared to have a DNA test done if that's what you really want. I didn't expect you to be the kind of man to deny his son money that could help him thrive, though."
"Are you sure it's money to help him thrive, or is it for your own selfish lifestyle?" Sasuke's voice got increasingly vicious as he spoke with the woman. "I know you, Karin. You only show your face when you get something out of it, so I highly doubt you're doing any of this for your son."
"Our son." She emphasized, reminding him of what was on the line.
"I'm not playing these games with you, Karin. The test gets done at Konoha General. You can contact me then when you're ready to make the appointment."
"And so I hung up on her before she could say anything else." Sasuke finished his story and leaned back into the couch.
"I can speed up the process with my lab team, so just tell me when you want me to give the order," Sakura said, taking his hand and stroking it in a comforting manner.
"Sakura, she's using my grandfather's health to her advantage right now. If he found out I had a son now, let alone with someone like Karin, it will be the push she needs to send him to his grave."
Sasuke looked like he was in genuine pain. He was really close to his grandfather.
"Is there any way that you could keep that from him?"
Sasuke shook his head. "I don't keep secrets from my family. Especially him. He's the one that used to take care of me when my parents were too busy. He taught me what it meant to be a man, and part of that is to make sure that there's not ever any skeletons in the closet when it comes to your family. A family is there to help you get through the rough times."
"I think you just spoke what you needed to hear," Sakura said, running her hand through his hair. "Sasuke, even if his health is bad, I'm sure he'd understand. You were a kid, and it's not your fault that she ran off until now. It's not your fault that you didn't know."
Sasuke swallowed and nodded, knowing that his girlfriend had a point.
"Sasuke, you still don't know for sure if she's really telling you the truth anyway." She reminded him. "It's like you told me before. She could just be lying to take advantage of the situation."
"She's really good at that." He sighed, wrapping his arms around the pinkette. "Sakura, do me a favor and never keep something like this from me if it ever happens to us."
"And here I thought you noticed." Sakura retorted in a sarcastic tone as she patted her stomach.
Sasuke chuckled. "Haruno, you're a mess."
She giggled and nuzzled her face into his neck. "As long as I can make you smile, call me whatever you want."
"Oh," Sasuke spoke as if he remembered something. He looked down at Sakura and smirked. "I love you too."
Sakura's cheeks turned red when those words left his mouth. He remembered what she had said earlier.
"Y-yeah, about that, I didn't mean to just spring that on you, it's just-"
Sasuke cut her off with his lips. "Hn. Annoying. You talk too much."
Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck and attacked his lips in retaliation to his words. Sasuke gladly fought back, licking the bottom of her lip to allow him entrance to her mouth.
She groaned in pleasure as he deepened the kiss. She climbed fully into his lap, straddling his waist as they continued their battle.
Sasuke started to snake his arm up her shirt when his phone started ringing.
They broke apart for air, each of them letting out a groan of disappointment.
"I'm sorry." He whispered, kissing her forehead as he looked down to see who was interrupting their moment. To his surprise, it was Kushina calling.
"Answer it." Sakura coaxed the Uchiha has she removed herself from him. "It could be important."
"Hey, Mrs. Uzumaki. What's up?"
"Sasuke, I know it's late, but I didn't know who else to call."
"What happened?"
"It's about Karin. She just left her son on our doorstep and told him she'd be back next week to pick him up." She frantically explained. "I don't know what to do. It's like what happened with my sister all over again."
"Slow down. Where is he now?"
"He's with Naruto and Minato in the living room. I had to leave before I got too upset." He heard her voice crack. "He doesn't deserve this."
"Yeah. I know." Sasuke sighed. "I'll be there in a few minutes, so don't worry."
"Thank you."
Sasuke ended the call and hung his head. "It's just like her. She's throwing a tantrum because I didn't take her bait, so she dumped the kid."
Sakura's eyebrows furrowed, she was obviously angry with the situation. "Go to them. They need you right now."
"Yeah." Sasuke nodded and stood up. "I'm sorry I got you dragged into this."
"Sasuke, I'm your girlfriend. There are a few stories that I still need to tell you one of these days that this situation doesn't even compare to. We can get through this. Just let me know if there's anything I can do." She stood next to him and stroked his cheek. "I'm scheduled to be off tomorrow, but if you'd like to, bring him back to the hospital and we'll get that DNA test out of the way."
"At this point, even if he's not mine, I'll still want to help the Uzumakis with this. You know that right?"
Sakura kissed his cheek and smiled. "I expect nothing less from you, Uchiha. Now get going."
He returned her smile, knowing that he had been captivated by this woman for a reason.
When Sasuke got to the Uzumaki's home, he was surprised at what he saw.
Yasuo looked as if he had done a 180 from when he had met him at the hospital. He looked groggy and was closing everyone off from him. He was curled up in a ball with a blanket at the end of the couch. His dark eyes watched Sasuke's every move as he walked through the room.
"Sorry we called you so late." Minato apologized as he clapped his hand on Sasuke's shoulder in greeting. "Kushina is just so livid right now and she knew we couldn't handle this kind of thing with out you, with all things considered."
Sasuke nodded in understanding.
"Oi, Teme." Naruto came up next to him and whispered in his ear. "He's brooding like you do, so I can kind of see the resemblance."
Sasuke reached out and punched Naruto in the jaw. "Now's not the time, you dobe!"
Yasuo's eyes widened at the sight of the police officer punching his family member. Weren't policemen supposed to stop fights and not start them?
"Ah don't worry about them, kid. They're like this all the time." Minato chuckled, noticing the change in the boy's expression. "They're like brothers, so it's normal for them."
"Ah." Yasuo nodded.
"See what I mean?" Naruto snickered, earning a glare from the Uchiha.
"I swear, you idiot. One more word and I'll knock you flat on your a-" Sasuke caught himself from finishing his sentence with a curse word.
He flashed his dark eyes to meet with Yasuo's. The boy's eyes were glued to him, and he seemed to hang on to every word the man spoke.
"You know, I've been around worse than ass." The red-headed boy stated.
The three men all stared at the boy, mostly because it had been the most he had said since he gotten there.
"Ah. Right." Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. "Still, it's not right for an adult to speak foul language in front of a kid."
"I don't care." Yasuo rolled his eyes. "Like it makes any fucking difference to me."
Sasuke raised his eyebrows and looked at the kid in shock.
"Hey now, we don't speak that kind of language around here." Kushina had appeared in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Hmph." Yasuo avoided her glare and grumbled to himself.
Kushina sighed and sat down next to the boy and ruffled his hair. "Now, now, Yasuo. No need to act all cool. We're family, so I'm going to treat you like I treat my boys over there."
Yasuo glanced up at the three men on the other side of the room then looked away again. "Whatever..."
"Our guest room is ready if you'd like to go to sleep now. We still have a lot to go over with you later, so it's probably best you get some good rest."
"Fine." Yasuo nodded and stood up.
Kushina led the boy out of the room. Yasuo never broke his eye contact with Sasuke as they walked past him.
After a few moments of waiting, the four adults had all sat down with some drinks to talk about their action plan on what to do about Yasuo.
"Have you talked to your parents about anything yet?" Minato asked Sasuke after he took a drink of his beer.
"Not yet. I don't want them to get involved if he's not for sure my kid." Sasuke frowned. "There's no point in it. I know how my father is, and I don't want to get my mother's hopes up on having another grandchild."
"So then you'll be pressing forward with a DNA test, then." Kushina sighed. "Have you talked to anyone about getting one done?"
"Sakura said she can have one with the results same day."
"Oh, that's right! That Sakura chick is a doctor." Naruto smirked. "She's our secret weapon against Karin, then! Why haven't you brought her around lately, Teme? Did you say something stupid to make her lose her interest?"
Sasuke flashed a glare at Naruto. "Actually, I've been seeing her for a while now you dobe. She's just been busy with some things is all."
"What does she think about all of this?" Kushina asked, looking worried. She knew that normal girls would run at the thought of baby mama drama.
"She's actually been extremely understanding." Sasuke ran his hand through his hair and gave a slight smile. "It's been a huge help."
"I knew she was a good girl when I met her," Minato smirked.
"Yeah she's a breath of fresh air compared to Karin, that's for sure."
"Aww. Teme's in love." Naruto wrapped an arm around Sasuke's shoulder.
"Hmph." Sasuke pushed the blonde off of him, his cheeks tinged with a shade of pink.
"In all sincerity, though. Sasuke, do you plan on taking care of Yasuo yourself if he is yours? What if Karin doesn't come back?"
Sasuke sighed. "It's the right thing to do for him. He definitely needs a much more stable home, that's for sure."
"You're still living with your parents, though, aren't you? Are you sure you would be able to afford that?" Minato asked.
"Yeah." Sasuke nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. "You know how my parents are. They insist I stay until I plan on getting married."
"Which from the sound of it, I hear wedding bells already!" Naruto exclaimed, being his overly dramatic self. "Teme won't be a bachelor like me for much longer."
"I have been planning on getting my own place in the near future," Sasuke said, putting his hand in front of Naruto's face to shut him up. "So, I would be willing to care for him on my own."
"Oh! So that does mean you're planning on marrying Sakura!" Naruto beamed his cheesy smile.
"Shut up, dobe. It's not like she's said yes. It's just preparing myself better for the long run, that's all."
Minato chuckled. "We're obviously happy for you, son. You can't blame Naruto for acting the way he is."
"Hn." Sasuke ran his hand through his hair and looked away in embarrassment.
"Minato's right. It's a good thing you've found someone." She shot a look at Naruto. "Now if only my idiot son would settle down sometime soon!"
"Ma! I told you, I just don't think I'm ready for that." Naruto rubbed his neck. He started to feel uncomfortable with the attention on him.
"It's not so fun now, is it?" Sasuke smirked.
"Alright, alright." Minato stood up and stretched. "Let's go ahead and call it a night. We still have a lot of stuff to take care of in the morning."
"I'm going to have to close the restaurant tomorrow." Kushina looked down, disappointment evident on her face.
"No, you won't." Sasuke gave her a stern look.
"But Yasuo-"
"Is going to be just fine. I'm going to take care of him," Sasuke insisted. "So don't worry about him. I've already let dispatch know I'm not coming in tomorrow."
Kushina hugged Sasuke tight. "Thank you so much, Sasuke."
"Yeah. It's the least I can do until we get this whole situation figured out."